The present invention relates to an electronic memory card reader.
In the description below, xe2x80x9creaderxe2x80x9d refers to a device that is capable not only of reading, but possibly also of writing data in the memory of said electronic memory card.
Electronic memory cards are now well known. Such cards are essentially composed of a card body of generally rectangular shape in which an electronic module is implanted. The electronic module comprises an integrated circuit including at least a memory circuit and electrical contact areas disposed on one face of the card body and connected to the terminals of the integrated circuit. To use such a card, said card is inserted in a processor machine. The processor machine comprises processing circuits to make use of the data contained in the memory of the card and to modify said data, and a reader which enables a temporary electrical connection to be established between the contact areas of the card and the processing circuits of the machine. Establishing said connection serves to power the integrated circuit of the card, to transmit read/write instructions for the memory of the card, to apply a write voltage, a clock signal, etc . . .
A reader normally comprises a housing which, on its front face, includes a card insertion slot, and which inwardly defines a guide channel serving to position the card so that when said card is in the processing position, i.e. in the inserted position, the contact areas of the card are in electrical contact with the connection elements of a read head containing said processing circuits. With regard to memory cards in accordance with the ISO standard, the contact areas are disposed close to one corner of the card body. The connector of the reader is thus off-center relative to its mid-plane.
Several types of reader exist. In some of them, only part of the card penetrates into the guide channel when it is brought into the processing position, the card being displaced either manually by the user or by a motor-driven wheel. The reader is thus referred to as a xe2x80x9cnon-swallowingxe2x80x9d reader. In other readers, the entire card penetrates into the guide channel in order to reach the processing position, the displacement of the card in both directions being obtained by a drive motor. Such a card reader is described in European patent application 0 139 593, filed in the name of FLONIC. The second type of reader, referred to as a xe2x80x9cswallowingxe2x80x9d reader, ensures that the card cannot be moved by the holder of the card while said card is being processed. However, if the displacement means for displacing the card fail, then the card remains blocked in the guide channel which is inconvenient for the cardholder and for the company managing the reader since said reader cannot be used until it has been repaired. Furthermore, many users do not like to see their cards swallowed completely by a reader.
In the second type of reader, that risk and fear does not exist since a portion of the card body always projects outside the card reader. However, both types of reader can be the subject of malicious acts seeking to prevent them from operating. One of the most frequent acts consists in inserting a portion of a good card body in the guide channel of the reader, but the body has been cut so that its length is slightly shorter than the length of the guide channel in the case of a reader of the first type, and slightly shorter than the stroke of the card in the case of a reader of the second type. In both cases, users arriving after the malicious act has been performed cannot use the reader since the portion of card body constituting what is referred to as a xe2x80x9cbad cardxe2x80x9d cannot be extracted from the guide channel. This requires the intervention of a maintenance team and prevents the reader from operating for a significant period of time.
Thus, one object of the present invention is to provide an electronic memory card reader for reading a card comprising a card body and electrical contact areas disposed on one face of said card body, said reader enabling the above-mentioned acts of vandalism to be prevented or at least made more difficult.
This and other objects are attained in accordance with one aspect of the invention directed to a reader comprising a read head having connection elements designed to enter into electrical contact with the contact areas of the electronic memory card, the connection elements defining a xe2x80x9creference plane.xe2x80x9d An insertion slot is situated in the reference plane. A guide means guides the card in translation along the reference plane. An abutment for the card body defines, at the end of insertion, a processing position for processing the card in which the electrical contact areas of the card are capable of entering into contact with the connection elements of the read head. A moving part is rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the translation direction. The moving part is capable, firstly, in a xe2x80x9cclosedxe2x80x9d position, of establishing electrical contact between the connection elements of the read head and the contact areas of the card in the processing position, by presser means for pressing the card against the read head and, secondly, of moving away from the closed position under the action of a force developed in opposition to the presser means by the card moving in translation. The moving part is returned to the closed position by resilient return means.
As can be seen in detail below, the reader of the invention enables the various types of vandalism involving the insertion of bad cards to be remedied. Bad cards which are too short fall into the bottom of the reader before reaching the moving part in the closed position. Longer bad cards which can be received by the moving part are ejected under the action of a subsequently inserted good card.